Those Dear Dead Days: Stoney O'Briens

 Artist Travis Simpkins pointed out that the establishment currently known as Nick's was formerly Stoney O'Briens. Which was basically one of many countless dive bars in Worcester at that time.

 

I thought after Travis's revelation about Nick's former life I'd do a little web snooping and the photo above is what I found of Stoney's.

 

To quote local Scallywag Jon Hansen: "What a dump!"

 

After Stoney's closed down, Nicole and Vincent bought the building. They cleaned it up and rechristened the establishment NICK'S. And as you can see below, its a vast improvement over the previous "dump".

 

 

Not only that, but Nicole runs a classy establishment that hosts unique performances. Including my own staging of a Sherlock Holmes play last may.

 

Millbury Street has always been a bit on the rougher side. However, even my folks who are long time residents couldn't help commenting that the area had improved considerably since the last time they were down there.

 

It says a lot on how adding a touch of class like a place like Nick's can improve an area.

 

 

 

Bid on CROWN DIAMOND poster signed by the cast!!

Measuring 11x17 and printed on a high gloss stock. The poster has been signed by the entire cast of THE CROWN DIAMOND: AN EVENING WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES which was staged Friday May 10th 2013 at Nick's Bar and Restaurant.

Suitable for framing and the ideal gift for that Sherlock Holmes fan in your life. Click on the link below and happy bidding:

The Crown Diamond: An Evening With Sherlock Holmes

Worcester Magazine Article on The Crown Diamond

I hadn't gotten the chance to post it just yet. But if you did not pick up the latest issue of Womag, I did an interview with Josh Lyford  on The Crown Diamond. Which was published the night before the performance. Read it by clicking on the link below:

 

Worcester Magazine: An Evening With Sherlock Holmes

The Evening After An Evening With Sherlock Holmes

 

If you weren't able to make it to The Crown Diamond: An Evening With Sherlock Holmes, you missed a really great performance by a really great cast of people I am very pleased to call my friends.

 

But I should mention. By 6:30PM it was standing room only!! I kid you not!!

 

I think a good 60 people showed up. And needless to say, I was absolutely overwhelmed by the turnout. I looked over at Syd at one point before the performance and she just said, "Wow!!"
 

 

 

But despite the really short rehearsal schedule, it turned out to be a really great night!! The cast outdid themselves with their performance. The play itself was ideal for both the Nick's stage and crowd. I don't think anyone could have handled a three act performance that night.

 

I know I couldn't.

 

But this particular play fit Nick's perfectly.

 

We even had members from a Connecticut chapter of the Sherlock Holmes Society come up to see the play. And they enjoyed themselves immensely. Even took me to school on some of the information about the play itself.

 

 

But I want to thank Nicole Watson and everyone at Nick's for allowing us to put on this performance. There was a lot of stress and a lot of pressure that night. And even a few last minute hiccups to work out. But they were great and everything ran smoothly.

 

 

 

I keep saying it. But if you have not been to Nick's Bar and Restaurant on Millbury Street, I highly recommend checking it out. Nicole and company run a top-notch establishment with both the food and drinks they offer.

 

And if you happened to check out the performance last night, thank you very much for stopping by. If I did not get the chance to thank you personally last night, I apologize.

 

What do I have planned next?

 

Oh, just you wait. Just you wait.

Watson, you're drunk!

 



Come spend an Evening With Sherlock Holmes tonight at Nick's

Well, I've been spending that last couple weeks putting up flyers in some of the various establishments around this fair metropolis we know as Worcester. So you might have seen one when you were having breakfast at Paris of the Eighties or lunch at the Theater Cafe.

Or you might have read about it in the latest issue of Worcester Magazine.

But tonight's the night!! Tonight's the opening of THE CROWN DIAMOND: AN EVENING WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES at Nick's Bar and Restaurant.

It's been nearly six months of planning, getting a cast together and rehearsing. With many nights spent between Devon, Ed and Jared's place reading through lines and working through stage direction over good food and good spirits.

I mean both the drinks and the company.

Now the set has been hung, the costumes have all been gathered up and after six months of planning that night has finally arrived.

But for me this has been 13 years in the making. Originally I wanted to do something like this at one of the local theatres like the Foothills. I had even chatted with the fine folks who used to run the Foothills the possibility of staging William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes with my artwork as set design back in either 2001 or 2003. I can't remember. Although, nothing materialized and the Foothill sadly shut its doors, there was a part of me that wanted to do something like that up here. Doing the set design for Gillette's play for the Kentucky Rep just made me want to do that more.

Enter Nick's. What's funny is the fact I found out last night after the dress rehearsal Nicole Watson who runs that fine establishment actually worked as a costume designer for the Foothills. So, in some ways I AM working with the Foothills...

...sort of.

But I am very excited. If you have not been to Nick's Bar and Restaurant, why not make tonight your first visit? It's a great place with a great atmosphere. And for one night only, the famous stage at Nick's will be transformed into that familiar sitting room at 221B Baker Street.

The show starts at 7PM and it's a mere $5.00 per person at the door to see the show. So if you're looking for something to do tonight, why not take a trip down to Nick's on 124 Millbury Street in Worcester Massachusetts and spend An Evening With Sherlock Holmes?

The Crown Diamond Promo Art

Well, here's the poster for THE CROWN DIAMOND: AN EVENING WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES taking place at Nick's Bar and Restaurant May 10th. Please could you do me a favor and repost it on your own blog, Facebook page, Twitter site or website?

Many thanks and I hope to see you at Nick's on May 10th!!

First look at the set design for The Crown Diamond

I've basically spent a couple mornings up in studio 205 working on the set design for THE CROWN DIAMOND: AN EVENING WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES.

 

And here it is.

 

The play opens for one night only May 10th at Nick's Bar and Restaurant on 124 Millbury Street in Worcester MA!! Everything gets underway around 7PM, so be sure to arrive an hour to a half hour before showtime if you want to order a meal or drinks before the show.

 

Copies of my own Sherlock Holmes graphic novel as well as my other books, artwork and prints will be available for purchase the night of the show.

 

I hope to see you all there at Nick's!!

The Crown Diamond: An Evening with Sherlock Holmes May 10th at Nick's!!

It's happening folks!!

 

May 10th at Nick's Bar and Restaurant on 124 Millbury Street in Worcester Massachusetts starting at 7PM!

 

$5.00 per person at the door and try to arrive early if you would like to order a meal and drinks before the performance starts.

 

For one night only, Nick's cosy little stage will be transformed into those well-remember sitting rooms at 221B Baker Street.

 

The play will star Edward Armstrong as Sherlock Holmes, Devon Kurtz as Dr. Watson, Heather Gruber as Mrs. Hudson, Conner Lee as Col. Sebastian Moran and Jared D'Orr Wicklund as Merton the Boxer.

 

Helping me with set design and props are Mr. Jon Hansen of Scallywag Ceramics fame and local filmmaker Joshua Leonard.

 

I'm also going to be doing an interview with Worcester Magazine tomorrow. So stay tuned for more on that!!

 

It should prove to be a fun evening and I hope to see you all there at Nick's Bar and Restaurant May 10th!!

Set and Costume Design for The Crown Diamond

Here is the set and costume design planned for The Crown Diamond which will take place at Nick's Bar and Restaurant in May. The only costume design missing and I need to finish is Merton the Boxer.

 

The set itself is being designed to fit the stage at Nick's. The walls are roughly 11x11 feet. Which, for a play of this nature, is the perfect fit.

 

What I'm planning on doing for the set design is to have it colored in sepia tones. I had suggested sepias when I did set design for the Kentucky Rep's staging of William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes and I am planning on doing something similar with this play.

 

If you would like to read the play itself, it is available to view at the Diogense Club's website:

 

The Crown Diamond: An Evening With Sherlock Holmes 

Sherlock Holmes at Nicks Bar and Restaurant

Well!! Time to let the cat out of the bag. I've been chatting with Nicole, the proprietress of Nick's Bar and Restaurant about staging a performance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's play The Crown Diamond: An Evening With Sherlock Holmes.

 

The play itself is perfect for the stage area at Nick as seen above. It's one act, one set design and only five actors top. Maybe two or three at tops at a time on the stage.

 

Chatting with Nicole about it has been great!! She is also a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and wants to do it justice with the right casting. One big problem at the present. I need to search for a lead actor to play Holmes. Unfortunately, the chappie I had originally intended for the part, Mr. Susurrus Din (seen holding a monocle in the picture above) is  moving to Philadelphia with his wife tomorrow for a better job.

 

Which I am very happy for them both. But it means I have to say goodbye to some very good friends. As well as goodbye to a very good choice for Sherlock Holmes.

 

So now I must find a new Holmes. I have a few leads but nothing concrete.

 

However, it shall be done. And the play is scheduled to be staged May 10th with a live dress rehearsal on May 9th.

 

More news to come later on. So stay tuned... 



Amended Nick's Flyer

This version of the poster has the live music which will be playing during the reading. Hope to see you all there!!

An Evening with Susurrus Din at Nick's in Worcester November 16th

Gothic wordsmith Susurrus Din will be reciting selected poems from our latest book Gloomy Presentiments of Things to Come and I will be creating live art (for lack of a better description) at Nick's in Worcester November 16th.

Feel free to print this off and pass along to your friends or post it on your blog, FB page or website. Hope to see you all there: